UN Secretary General António Guterres said on Friday that peacekeepers have uncovered over 100 weapons caches since the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel came into force.
“The presence of armed personnel, assets and weapons that do not belong to the Lebanese government or UNIFIL between the Blue Line and the Litani River constitutes a flagrant violation of resolution 1701 and undermines the stability of Lebanon,” Guterres was quoted as saying by state news agency NNA.
The UN chief, who arrived in Beirut on Thursday, urged during a visit to UNIFIL headquarters in the southern Lebanese city of Naqoura that all sides comply with UN Resolution 1701 to ensure a durable peace for Lebanon and Israel.
The secretary general also addressed ongoing violations, including Israeli military actions within Lebanese territory, which he described as breaches of Resolution 1701 that jeopardize the safety of peacekeepers.
“Attacks against UN peacekeepers are completely unacceptable. They violate international law and international humanitarian law and may constitute a war crime,” Guterres was quoted as saying.
Several UN peacekeepers were wounded when their convoy or bases were hit during the Hezbollah-Israeli war, which was halted when a ceasefire deal went into effect on November 27.
He also reiterated the UN’s commitment to supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces, describing them “as Lebanon’s sole guarantor of security.”
The pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia and Israel agreed to a ceasefire after more than a year of mutual attacks. Nevertheless, there have been repeated violations, some which resulted in deaths.
The agreement stipulates, among other things, that Hezbollah withdraws behind the Litani River, about 30 kilometres north of the Israeli-Lebanese border. Israel’s ground troops are to be gradually withdrawn from Lebanon within 60 days. The Lebanese army is supposed to monitor compliance with the agreement.
